Summary
- RPGs with a slow but rewarding progression curve keep fans engaged for the long haul.
- Games like Gothic and The Witcher 3 captivate players with immersive storytelling and world-building.
- RPGs such as Disco Elysium and Fallout: New Vegas offer unique experiences that evolve as players progress.
Most role-playing games need to feature a great progression curve or a growing sense of wonder to keep fans engaged. After all, any RPG that reveals its hand early on and doesn't switch things up is bound to leave fans bored, after a point.
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This is why fans love RPGs that get more engrossing as players invest hours upon hours in these titles. Only the most special games around can keep fans invested in the long haul, and these role-playing games definitely got this memo.
8 Gothic
The Nameless Hero Takes A While To Become Stronger
Gothic
- Released
- November 23, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
Gothic is one of the most underrated open-world games around, with fans remembering its crushingly hard beginning. The only thing that players can do early on is bait lowly scavengers one by one and clumsily take them on in combat.
It's not until players join a camp and use their experiences to take lessons from other trainers that they finally acquire the skills they need to succeed in a hostile world. This immersive sense of progression feels intensely rewarding as players finally manage to take out groups of monsters or deal with a particularly dangerous foe that they'd skirted around for a long time.
7 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
After A Brief Stint In White Orchard, Geralt Is Let Loose Upon The World
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Witcher 3 knows how to keep its hand close to its chest. White Orchard is a glorified tutorial area that is small enough not to overwhelm players while also familiarizing them with the game's mechanics.
By the end of their adventures in this area, Geralt will finally meet Yennefer and learn about the Wild Hunt's efforts to find Ciri. The stakes are upped in no time and ends with Geralt heading to Velen as players are spellbound by this massive region. Even then, it's just a taste of things to come as players eventually unlock travel to other zones on the Continent.
6 Disco Elysium
A Tantalizing Start Sets The Stage For Something Amazing
Disco Elysium
- Released
- October 15, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- ZA/UM
- Publisher(s)
- ZA/UM
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Disco Elysium opens with a bang as players wake up as an amnesiac detective in his underwear. He doesn't even remember his name and must compose himself before heading out of his room.
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Before players even step into Revachol, the game's humor is clear for everyone to see. It also eases players into the dense setting of this game as the detective unites with his partner and explores a city rich with political intrigue and lore, leading fans to become fascinated by the game's rich storytelling.
5 Cyberpunk 2077
It Takes A While Before The Game's Plot Kicks It Into High Gear
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that had to make some serious efforts to win back its jaded fanbase. Thankfully, once all the bugs were ironed out, fans saw just how magical this open-world RPG was.
The game takes a while to get going, with the Arasaka heist serving as the true start to the game's main storyline. V must figure out a way to regain control over their body after Johnny Silverhand's engram starts taking over, which will cause players to become hopelessly immersed in the massive urban sprawl that is Night City.
4 Chrono Trigger
Once Players Get The Epoch, The Game Feels Grander Than Ever
Chrono Trigger
- Released
- March 11, 1995
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- SNES, PlayStation (Original), PC, Nintendo DS, Android, iOS
Chrono Trigger is the video game equivalent of the gift that keeps on giving. The charming art style and familiar JRPG elements will rope players in before the element of time travel rears its intensely captivating head.
If that wasn't good enough, the game truly opens up once fans gain access to the Epoch. Not only does this time travel machine double as an airship, but players are also given the freedom to take on Lavos whenever they want to access one of several different endings.
3 Fallout: New Vegas
Reaching New Vegas Is Just The Start Of An Epic Adventure
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
As the name suggests, the biggest challenge early on in Obsidian's magnum opus is reaching the city of New Vegas. Players are gently guided through a long and winding path to reach this city, familiarizing themselves with the Mojave Wasteland in the process.
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Reaching this city is just the first step of an intense adventure where players either ally with other parties or fly solo to decide the fate of this city. Either way, Fallout: New Vegas' adventure never ceases to be engaging and keeps players on the edge of their seats from start to end.
2 Final Fantasy 6
The World Of Ruin Is A Huge Tonal Shift That Fans Love
Final Fantasy 6
- Released
- October 11, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
The World of Balance in Final Fantasy 6 is structured like a regular JRPG, with players going through the motions as they stop the Gestahlian Empire from taking over the world. However, players will realize just how special this title is after the events of the Floating Continent.
In a rare video game moment, the villain actually wins and brings ruin upon the world. The heroes split up, but the story is far from over as players control Celes in a non-linear adventure as she brings the band back together to stage one last assault on Kefka's Tower.
1 Baldur's Gate 3
Act 2 Is Perhaps The Finest Story Arc In An RPG Game
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Act 1 is just a taste of the rich role-playing goodness in Baldur's Gate 3. As compelling as the story is during this section, it's not until players reach Act 2 that they realize just how involved and sprawling the game truly is.
The second Act features a compelling villain voiced by none other than the legendary J. K. Simmons himself. Ketheric Thorm sets such a high standard in the Shadow-Cursed Lands that even reaching the city of Baldur's Gate itself in Act 3 almost feels like a step down in the eyes of many.
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